Lobster abstract

A lobster-like or crab leg-like food product comprising a muscle
imitation part and an outer shell imitation part which envelops
said muscle imitation part to be integrated therewith. The process
for producing the lobster-like or crab leg-like food product comprises
using a pair of molds each having a concave on which is curved an
outer shell shape of lobster abdomen having plural segments or an
outer shell shape of crab leg.

Lobster claims

What is claimed is:

1. A lobster-like food product comprising:

two elongated imitation muscles arranged parallel to each other
and extending over a substantial portion of the food product along
the longitudinal direction thereof, each imitation muscle having
a plurality of fibers arranged to extend in the same direction and
bonded together to form a bundle of fibers, each imitation muscle
being prepared by heat-coagulating a fish paste, at least partly
cutting the heat-coagulated fish paste to form a plurality of attached
fibers and assembling the fibers to form a bundle, and

an imitation outer shell having a shape imitating the outer shell
of a lobster abdomen having plural segments, said outer shell enveloping
said two imitation muscles to be embedded in the imitation outer
shell parallel to each other so that their fiber directions are
parallel to the longitudinal direction of the imitation outer shell,
said outer shell being made from heat-coagulated ground fish and
integrally bonded to the imitation muscles to thereby provide an
appearance that the imitation muscles are embedded inside the outer
shell,

wherein the food product having the imitation muscles and outer
shell similar to the actual lobster tail is obtained.

2. A process for producing an imitation food product comprising:

preparing at least one imitation muscle by shaping a fish paste
into a sheet form, smothering the fish paste to form a heat-coagulated
fish material, at least partly cutting the fish material to form
a plurality of fibers, and assembling the fibers to form a bundle
of fibers,

filling a sufficient amount of fresh ground fish into a concave
of one of two molds,

placing at least one imitation muscle onto the fresh fish ground
fish in the mold along a longitudinal direction of the food product,
said imitation muscle extending over a substantial portion of the
concave,

covering the imitation muscle by fresh ground fish by either (a)
filling a sufficient amount of fresh ground fish into a concave
of the other of the two molds or (b) coating a sufficient amount
of fresh ground fish onto and around the imitation muscle; and then
joining the two molds together so that the imitation muscle is retained
inside the fresh ground fish to extend over the substantial portion
of the food product and the ground fish is shaped in the form of
the concaves of the mold, and

heat-coagulating the fresh ground fish together with the imitation
muscle to integrally connect together to thereby provide an appearance
that the imitation muscle is embedded inside the outer shell, wherein
the food product having the imitation muscle and outer shell similar
to an actual food product is formed.

3. A process according to claim 2 further comprising applying
a color additive to an outer surface of the heat-coagulated fish
having the imitation muscle therein.

4. A process according to claim 3 in which said fish paste and
ground fish are seasoned with a flavor additive.

Lobster description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a lobster-like or crab leg-like food
product which is made of a fish meat paste product such as Kamaboko
(a fish meat paste product popular in Japan) and has a taste, shape
and color guite similar to the meat in the abdomen of real lobster
or in the cheliped (chela leg) or the ambulatory leg of real crab.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Crab leg meat imitation products have hitherto proposed which are
produced by bundling fibrous fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste
product or by mixing said fibrous fine cut pieces with a pasty ground
fish meat followed by heat-coagulation. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open
Nos. 11690/1984 and 38787/1984 propose various simulated crab leg
products including not only a muscle imitation part but also an
outer shell imitation part.

However, the above mentioned simulated crab leg products have outer
appearance of crab leg and therefore no special consideration has
been paid to the fact that a taste and texture are greatly influenced
by not only senses of taste, smell and touch but also sense of sight.

The crab leg imitation food product disclosed in Japanese Utility
Model Laid-Open No. 11690/1984 uses the ambulatory leg shell of
real crab. Therefore, this imitation food product contains a non-edible
portion. Moreover, the structure of the crab ambulatory leg meat
imitation part in this crab leg imitation food products is entirely
different from the muscle fiber structure in real crab ambulatory
leg, and therefore said imitation food product has a taste and texture
guite distant from those specific to the crab ambulatory leg in
respect to senses of sight and touch.

The crab leg imitation food product disclosed in Japanese Utility
Model Laid-Open No. 38787/184 has a shape of crab cheliped consisting
of ductylus (movable finger) and propodus (pulm) and contains an
edible part therein. Said edible part is composed by mixing fibrous
fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste product with a pasty ground
fish meat. Therefore, there exists no directiveness of fibrous fine
cut pieces, resulting in a taste and texture, sense of touch, and
shape of the end portion thereof which, when eaten, are rather different
from those of real crab cheliped.

Further there exists no lobster-like food product which copies
the outer appearance, taste, texture, etc. of a crayfish, American
lobster and the like which are known genericically as a lobster.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide
a lobster-like or crab leg-like food product and a process for producing
the same, said lobster-like or crab leg-like food product (i) being
wholly edible, (ii) having an outer appearance which is quite similar
to that of the abdomen of real lobster or of the cheliped or ambulatory
leg of real crab, and (iii) closely resembling the abdomen of real
lobster or of the chela leg or ambulatory leg of real crab in respect
to a taste and texture, a sense of touch, and a shape of the end
portion thereof when eaten.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present
invention will become apparent from the detailed description given
hereinafter. It should be understood however, that the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments
of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the sprit and scope of the invention
will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed
description.

According to the present invention, said object is achieved by
a lobster-like food product comprising a muscle imitation part and
an outer shell imitation part which envelops said muscle imitation
part to be integrated therewith; said muscle imitation part is composed
of one or more united fibrous fish meat paste products, each of
which is made into a bundled form of plural pieces of fibrous material;
and said outer shell imitation part is made from a heat-coagulated
material of a pasty ground fish meat to imitate an outer shell shape
of lobster abdomen having plural segments (abdominal segment).

Further according to the present invention, said object is achieved
by a crab-like food product comprising a muscle imitation part and
an outer shell imitation part which envelops said muscle imitation
part to be integrated therewith; said muscle imitation part is composed
of one or more united fibrous fish meat paste products, each of
which is made into a bundled form of plural pieces of fibrous material;
and said outer shell imitation part is made from a heat-coagulated
product of a pasty ground fish meat to imitate an outer shell shape
of crab leg.

Further the present invention provides a process for producing
a lobster-like food product using a pair of molds each having a
concave on which is curved an outer shell shape of lobster abdomen
having plural segments, which comprises the steps of

(i) filling a prescribed amount of a pasty ground fish meat into
one of said concaves;

(ii) placing onto said pasty ground fish meat one or more united
fibrous fish meat paste products, each of which is made into a bundled
from of plural pieces of fibrous material;

(iii) filling a prescribed amount of a pasty ground fish meat into
another concave or coating a prescribed amount of a pasty ground
fish meat onto said united fibrous fish meat paste products placed
onto said pasty ground fish meat in step (ii);

(iv) joining together a pair of molds to presscontact said united
fibrous fish meat paste products with said pasty ground fish meat
so that the latter envelops the former; and

(v) heat-coagulating said fibrous fish meat paste products and
said pasty ground fish meat enveloping said united fibrous fish
meat paste products to integrate the former with the latter.

Further the present invention provides a process for producing
a crab leg-like food product in the same manner as in the above
mentioned process for producing a lobster-like food product except
that the molds used in said process for the production of lobster-like
food product are replaced by a pair of molds each having a concave
on which is curved an outer shell shape of crab leg

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the
detailed description given hereinbelow and accompanying drawings
which are given by way of illustration only, and thus not limitative
of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the lobster-like
food product according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of said lobster-like food product of FIG.
1 seen from the longitudinal direction thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of said lobster-like food product
of FIG. 1 seen from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the lobster-like
food product according to the present invention seen from a direction
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a crab cheliped-like
food product of the crab leg-like food product according to the
present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing of the crab cheliped-like food
product of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the crab
cheliped-like food product according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a crab ambulatory
leg-like food product of the crab leg-like food product according
to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective drawing of said crab ambulatory leg-like
food product of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the crab
ambulatory leg-like food product according to the present invention;
and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pair of molds used for the production
of the lobster-like food products shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there are hereinafter explained the
preferred embodiments of a lobster-like or crab leg-like food product
according to the present invention. FIGS. 1-3 show one embodiment
of the lobster-like food product according to the present invention.
The lobster-like food product of this embodiment is composed of
a muscle imitation part 1 and an outer shell imitation part 2 which
envelops said muscle imitation part 1 to be integrated therewith.
Said muscle imitation part 1 is composed by arranging a pair of
united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 along a longitudinal direction
of the outer shell imitation part 2 said united fibrous fish meat
paste product 3 being made into a bundled form of plural pieces
of fibrous material. Said outer shell imitation part 2 is prepared
from a heat-coagulated material of a pasty ground fish meat to imitate
an outer shell shape of lobster abdomen having plural segments.

It is preferable that each united fibrous fish meat paste product
3 constituting said muscle imitation part 1 is seasoned with a flavor
or savor of lobster by use of lobster extract and that a color of
real lobster abdomen is given onto said united fibrous fish meat
paste product 3. In the production of the united fibrous fish meat
paste product 3 a meat of real lobster abdomen may be mixed therewith.
By mixing the meat of real lobster abdomen, the taste and texture
as well as the flavor or savor of the lobster-like food product
according to the present invention become more resembling those
of real lobster.

Not only in the case of the lobster-like food product but also
in the case of a crab leg-like food product which will be mentioned
later, said muscle imitation part 1 may be composed of one united
fibrous fish meat paste product 3 but it is more preferable that
it is composed of two or more united fibrous fish meat paste products
3 arranged so that they are adjacent to each other. When plural
united fibrous fish meat pasty products 3 are used for the muscle
imitation part 1 they may be arranged so that their fiber directions
are in parallel with each other. Alternately they may be arranged
in such a manner that at least one of them has a fiber direction
which is different from those of the others. In the case of the
crab leg-like food product mentioned below, the latter arrangement
is preferable, whereas in the case of the lobster-like food product,
the former arrangement is preferable. Further, in the lobster-like
food product, it is preferable to arrange each united fibrous fish
meat paste product 3 in such a manner that its fiber direction parallels
the longitudinal direction of the outer shell imitation part 2.
Furthermore, in the lobster-like food product, it is preferable
that each united fibrous fish meat paste product 3 is arranged to
be located in one or more segments of the outer shell imitation
part 2.

Although said outer shell imitation part 2 may be made of a heat-coagulated
product of a pasty ground fish meat alone, it is preferable to add
fibrous fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste product to said heat-coagulated
product of the pasty ground fish meat and thereafter heat-coagulate
then mixture. It is more preferable that the heat-coagulated product
has been seasoned with a flavor or savor of real lobster abdomen
meat; has been colored with a color of real lobster abdomen, or
has been mixed with a meat of real lobster abdomen.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the
lobster-like food product according to the present invention. The
lobster-like food product of this embodiment is composed by arranging
two united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 which have a larger
diameter and shorter length than the united fibrous fish meat paste
product 3 used in the lobster-like food product of the former embodiment
in such a manner that each united fibrous fish meat paste product
3 exists in every two segments of the outer shell imitation part
2. Although a slender shape similar to the united fibrous fish meat
paste product used in the former embodiment is breakable, the united
fibrous fish meat paste product 3 used in this embodiment is made
in a more easily breakable form than that used in the former embodiment.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show one embodiment of the crab cheliped-like food
product according to the present invention. Like the above mentioned
lobster-like food product, the outer shell imitation part 2 in the
crab cheliped-like food product of this embodiment is composed of
a heat-coagulated material of a pasty ground fish meat. However,
unlike the above mentioned lobster-like food product, the outer
shell imitation part 2 in this embodiment has an outer shell shape
of crab cheliped consisting of propodus (pulm) and dactylus (movable
finger). Like the lobster-like food product, the muscle imitation
part 1 in this embodiment is composed of plural united fibrous fish
meat paste product 3. However in this embodiment there are used
three united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 each having a flatter
shape than that used in the lobster-like food product. The three
united fibrous fish meat paste products have almost the same size.
One of them is arranged in such a manner that its fiber direction
differs from the fiber directions of the remaining two. By arranging
plural united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 in different fiber
directions, the muscle imitation part 2 has a texture more resembling
that of real crab cheliped having different muscle fiber structures
in different regions.

It is preferable that said united fibrous fish meat paste product
3 has been seasoned with a flavor or savor of crab meat by use of
crab met extract, has been colored with a color of crab meat, or
has been mixed with real crab meat. It is preferable that the heat-coagulated
material for the outer shell imitation part 2 has been mixed with
fibrous fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste product; has been seasoned
with a flavor or savor of crab meat; has been colored with a color
of crab meat; or has been mixed with real crab meat. These can be
applied not only to the crab cheliped-like food product but also
a crab ambulatory leg-like food product mentioned below.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the
crab cheliped-like food product according to the present invention.
The muscle imitation part 1 in the crab cheliped-like food product
of this embodiment is composed by arranging one united fibrous fish
meat paste product 3 having a cylindrical shape which is longer
than the united fibrous fish meat paste product 3 used in the last
mentioned embodiment. The fiber direction of the united fibrous
fish meat paste product 3 is different from the longitudinal direction
of the outer shell imitation part 2. FIGS. 8 and 9 show one embodiment
of the crab ambulatory leg-like food product according to the present
invention. In the crab ambulatory leg-like food product of this
embodiment, the outer shell imitation part 2 comprises a heat-coagulated
material of a pasty ground fish meat and has a outer shell shape
of crab ambulatory leg. The muscle imitation part 1 is composed
by arranging a pair of the upper and the lower united fibrous fish
meat paste products 3 in such a manner that their fiber directions
parallel the longitudinal direction of the outer shell imitation
part 2.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the crab ambulatory leg-like
food product according to the present invention. The muscle imitation
part 1 in this embodiment is composed by arranging one united fibrous
fish meat paste product 3 having a larger diameter than the united
fibrous fish meat paste product 3 used in the last mentioned embodiment
in such a manner that its fiber direction parallels the longitudinal
direction of the outer shell imitation part 2.

Hereunder is explained a process for producing the above mentioned
lobster-like or crab leg-like food product and additionally the
above mentioned lobster-like or crab leg-like food product is further
explained in detail.

First, a process for producing the lobster-like food product of
the present invention is explained. In practicing the process, as
is shown in FIG. 11 there are previously provided with a pair of
molds 12 and 13 having respective concaves 10 and 11 on which is
curved an outer shell shape of lobster abdomen having plural segments.
It is preferable that the size and shape of the concaves 10 and
11 are determined in view of the size and shape of real lobster.

In the production of the lobster-like food product, a prescribed
amount of pasty ground fish meat is first filled into one of said
concaves 10 and 11 (the step (i) mentioned above). As the pasty
ground fish meat, there are exemplified those used for the conventional
production of Kamaboko. To excessively fill the pasty ground fish
meat into the concave does not produce any inconvenience, because
an excessive amount thereof will overflow the molds when a pair
of molds are joined together to press-contact the contents. It is
preferable that the pasty ground fish meat has been mixed with fibrous
fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste product. As the fibrous fine
cut pieces of the fish meat paste product, there can be preferably
used those obtained by shaping and smothering a pasty ground fish
meat in accordance with the conventional Kamaboko producing process
to form a sheet material and finely cutting it into a fibrous form.
The preferable fibrous fine cut pieces of the fish meat paste product
has a diameter of 0.5 to 3 mm and a length of 5 to 50 mm. The preferable
amount of the fibrous fine cut pieces of the fish meat paste product
added is 50 to 150 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight
of the pasty ground fish meat. Real lobster meat can be added to
the pasty ground fish meat to give a more preferable flavor or savor
and texture of lobster to the lobster-like food product. In order
to give a flavor or savor of lobster, lobster extract may be added
to the pasty ground fish meat.

Next, one or more united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 each
of which is made into a bundled form of plural pieces of fibrous
material, are placed onto said pasty ground fish meat (the step
(ii) mentioned above). As the united fibrous fish meat paste product,
there are exemplified those obtained by shaping and smothering a
pasty ground fish meat in accordance with the conventional Kamaboko
producing process to form a sheet material; making cuts thereon
in a prescribed distance (interval) in the longitudinal direction
thereof to such an extent that the sheet material is not cut into
pieces; and rolling the sheet material with cuts toward the longitudinal
direction thereof. The preferable thickness and width of said sheet
material are 1 to 30 mm and 150 to 300 mm, respectively. The preferable
interval between the cuts and depth of each cut is 1 to 3 mm and
0.5 to 2.5 mm, respectively. It is necessary that the united fibrous
fish meat paste product 3 has a length shorter than the longitudinal
length of the concave 10 or 11. Usually the length thereof in the
longitudinal direction is 10 to 150 mm and the width (diameter)
thereof is 10 to 50 mm. As the united fibrous fish meat paste product
3 there can be also used those obtained by finelly cutting said
sheet material to obtain fibrous fine cut pieces of the fish meat
paste product and bundling said fibrous fine cut pieces together
with a pasty ground fish meat as a binding meat. In this case, the
preferable diameter and length of said fine cut pieces are 1 to
3 mm and 10 to 100 mm. It is a matter of course that the united
fibrous fish meat paste product 3 is not limited to those obtained
by the above mentioned two methods. However, the former production
method is superior to the latter production method in terms of operation
efficiency. It is preferable that the united fibrous fish meat paste
product 3 has been seasoned with a flavor or savor of lobster meat
by use of lobster extract or the like; has been colored with a nontoxic
colorant to give a color of lobster meat thereto; or has been mixed
with real lobster meat. In the placement of the united fibrous fish
meat paste products 3 onto the pasty ground fish meat, the number
and direction thereof to be placed are not limited. However, in
case of the lobster-like food product, it is preferable that one
or more united fibrous fush meat paste products 3 are placed on
said pasty ground fish meat in such a manner that the fiber directions
thereof parallel the longitudinal direction of said concave 10.
Preferably, each united fibrous fish meat paste product 3 is arranged
along the longitudinal direction of said concave 10 to be located
on one or two simulated segments on said concave 10.

Next, a prescribed amount of a pasty ground fish meat is coated
onto said united fibrous fish meat paste product 3 placed on the
concave 10 (the step (iii) mentioned above). As the pasty ground
fish meat, there is preferably used the same material as the pasty
ground fish meat filled into the concave 10 in step (i). The amount
of the pasty ground fish meat coated onto the united fibrous fish
meat paste products 3 in this step (iii) is such an amount that
the total volume of the pasty ground fish meat filled into the concave
10 in step (i), the united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 placed
onto said pasty ground fish meat in step (ii) and the pasty ground
fish meat coated on the united fibrous fish meat paste products
3 in step (iii) is identical to or greater than the inner volume
of the concaves 10 and 11. Preferably the amount of the pasty ground
fish meat used in step (iii) is identical to the amount of the pasty
ground fish meat used in step (i). In place of coating the pasty
ground fish meat onto the united fibrous fish meat paste products,
a prescribed amount of a pasty ground fish meat may be filled into
another concave 11. In this case, the pasty ground fish meat may
be filled into the concave 10 prior to conducting step (i) or step
(ii).

Next, a pair of molds 12 and 13 are joined together to press-contact
said united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 with said pasty ground
fish meat so that the latter envelops the former (step (iv) mentioned
above).

Next, said united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 and said pasty
ground fish meat enveloping said united fibrous fish meat paste
products 3 are heat-coagulated to integrated the former with the
latter (step (v) mentioned above). The heating may be conducted
by smothering or roasting. When the heating is conducted by smothering,
the preferable temperature and time thereof are 60.degree. to 100.degree.
C. and 2 to 40 minutes, respectively.

Thereafter an outer shell color of lobster abdomen is preferably
given to the surface of the heat-coagulated pasty ground fish meat.
A non-toxic known colorant can be used for the coloration. If necessary,
heating by smothering or roasting may be conducted for heat-sterilization
after the coloring step. When the heating is conducted by smothering,
the preferable temperature and time thereof are 90.degree. to 95.degree.
C. and 20 to 30 minutes, respectively.

The process for producing a crab leg-like food product such as
crab cheliped-like and crab ambulatory leg-like food product can
be conducted in the same manner as in the above mentioned process
for producing a lobster-like food product except that there are
used a pair of molds each having a concave on which is curved an
outer shell shape of crab cheliped or crab ambulatory leg. Further
the process for producing a crab leg-like food product is different
from the process for producing a lobster-like food product in that
a flavor or savor and a color of crab meat may be applied instead
of a flavor or savor and a color of lobster meat and that crab meat
may be mixed instead of lobster meat. Further the size of the united
fibrous fish meat paste product used in the crab cheliped-like food
product is limited in its maximum length, because the crab cheliped-like
food product itself is small.

Referring to Example, the process of the present invention will
be hereunder explained more concretely.

EXAMPLE 1

A pair of molds 12 and 13 as illustrated in FIG. 11 were previously
provided. The molds have respective concaves 10 and 11 on which
was curved an outer shell shape of lobster abdomen having plural
segments. The size and shape of the concaves 10 and 11 were the
same as those of real lobster. The inner volumes of the concaves
11 and 11 are each 80 cm.sup.3.

First 50 cm.sup.3 of a pasty ground fish meat was filled in a uniform
thickness into said concave 10. The pasty ground fish meat was previously
seasoned with a flavor or savor of lobster meat by using a small
amount of lobster extract. To the pasty ground fish meat was previously
added a fibrous fine cut pieces of a fish meat paste product in
a proportion of 100 parts by weight of the former to 120 parts by
weight of the latter. The diameter and the length of the fibrous
fine cut pieces are 1 mm and 20 mm, respectively.

Next, two united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 each of which
was a bundled form of plural pieces of fibrous material, were placed
on said pasty ground fish meat filled into the concave 10 in their
arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The united fibrous
fish meat paste product 3 used was prepared by shaping and smothering
a pasty ground fish meat in accordance with a conventional Kamaboko
production process to obtain a sheet material (thickness 1.5 mm),
said pasty ground fish meat being previously seasoned with a flavor
or savor of lobster meat by use of a small amount of lobster meat;
making cuts having a depth of 1 mm thereon in a distance (interval)
of 1.5 mm in the longitudinal direction thereof to such and extend
that the sheet material is not cut into pieces; an rolling the sheet
material with cuts toward the longitudinal direction thereof. The
diameter and the length of the united fibrous fish meat paste product
3 are 20 mm and 60 mm, respectively.

Next, 62 cm.sup.3 of a pasty ground fish meat was coated in a uniform
thickness onto said united fibrous fish meat paste product 3 placed
on said concave 10. The pasty ground fish meat used here was the
same material as that filled into the concave 10.

Next, a pair of molds 12 and 13 were joined together to press-contact
said united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 with said pasty ground
fish meat so that the latter envelops the former.

Next, said united fibrous fish meat paste products 3 and said pasty
ground fish meat enveloping said united fibrous fish meat paste
products 3 were smothered at 90.degree. C. for 30 minutes to integrate
the former with the latter.

Thereafter, an outer shell color of lobster abdomen was given on
the surface of the heat-coagulated pasty ground fish.

The lobster-like food product thus obtained was an imitation food
product (i) being wholly edible, (ii) having an outer appearance
quite similar to that of the abdomen of real lobster, as shown in
FIGS. 1-3 and (iii) closely resembling the abdomen of real lobster
(having directiveness of the muscles in different regions) in respect
to a taste and texture, a sense of touch, and a shape of the end
portion thereof when eaten.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications
may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing
from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.